In the field of medical laboratory diagnostics, different test systems are known, using which patient samples are tested for the presence of special antibodies. With the detection of special patient antibodies and their categorization in certain immunoglobulin classes, it is possible to draw conclusions about bacterial or viral infections, which have occurred or are still present, as well as about the chronological sequence of an infection. Typically, detection of antibodies takes place by way of so-called stepwise diagnostics, in which first sensitive screening is undertaken, followed by a specific confirmation. In that, in routine serology, ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) is frequently used for screening, while as the confirmation test, immunoblot strips, in particular Western blot strips, dot blot strips or line blot strips, are predominantly used.
For incubation of the various known immunoblot strips, typically so-called blot trays are used, which have a plurality of channels, into which the respectively required blot strips are inserted at the laboratory. Incubation takes place within the channels by filling reagents into the respective channels with the blot strips in the order specified for that. Subsequently, the tray is preferably agitated, so that good intermixing of the reagents and sufficient incubation of the blot strips take place. Following incubation, the strips are first purified using a washing liquid, and subsequently the banding patterns of the individual strips are analyzed. The analysis is normally performed automatically, wherein the incubated blot strips are recorded with a camera or a scanner system, and the recorded images are analyzed with the aid of laboratory software.
In this connection, a blot membrane is known from DE 202 15 268 U1, which is provided with a reversible adhesive on its back. In this case, the reversible adhesive enables fixation of the membrane directly at the base of an incubation channel, whereby turning over of the membrane by filling, emptying or agitating of the incubation channel or the incubation tray during incubation is reliably prevented. In that, the reversible adhesive is optionally applied across the entire dimension of the respective back of the blot membrane or only in a limited area.
Furthermore, DE 202 15 270 U1 discloses very special immunoblot strips, on which different types of test strips are provided. Sections of Western blot strips are combined with line blots, with which a specifically selected antigen can be respectively detected.
Based on the blot strips known from the state of the art and the available means for incubating the strips, the invention is based on the object of creating a process in which the tests using blot strips can be performed comfortably and at the same time, is particularly flexible. In particular, the combination of different antibody detection methods and/or simultaneous testing of various patient serums in the course of a joint incubation process are enabled in a simple manner. Furthermore, with the device according to the present invention, storage, transport, and in particular provision of the individual blot strips can be undertaken reliably and in a very user-friendly manner. Above all, the user is to be enabled to perform incubation sequences, in which, in a simple manner, different blot strips can be combined with one another. The effort to combine different blot strips is minimized. Furthermore, it is to be ensured with relatively simple means, that incubation of the immunoblot strips takes place effectively and reliably, wherein in particular floating or distortion of the test strips are prevented with simple means.